The Lagos State Government on Saturday commended residents of Alimosho Local Government Area for their level of compliance with the monthly environmental sanitation exercise, describing the area as one of the councils taking the initiative seriously.
Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, made the observation after monitoring the exercise in the area on Saturday.
PUNCH Online correspondent who also monitored the exercise in Oguntade, Shasha, Akerele, Orisunbare and other communities in the local government observed that residents had cleaned their surroundings and placed their waste at designated locations for collection, while others were seen actively participating in the sanitation exercise.
Speaking with our correspondent, a resident identified simply as Kunle said he participated in the exercise because of its health benefits.
“I am doing this because of myself and my family. I do not need to be compelled because a clean environment is a healthy environment. The only challenge is that waste collectors are not coming to collect our waste regularly,” Kunle said.
Another resident, who did not want his name mentioned in print, corroborated the claim that PSP operators were not regular in collecting waste generated during the environmental sanitation exercise.
“We have cleaned our environment but the challenge is that PSP operators are not coming to pack them,” the resident said.
“We have packed our waste and placed it where it can be collected, but the challenge is that the PSP operators do not come regularly. Sometimes, the waste remains there for days before it is evacuated,” the resident said.
Responding to complaints by residents over irregular waste collection, the commissioner acknowledged existing challenges with some PSP operators, particularly in Alimosho.
He disclosed that the council had already engaged additional contractors to address the situation and directed officials to meet with operators responsible for waste collection in the area.
Wahab, who was joined by the First Lady, Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, and officials of the ministry, said the government was encouraged by the level of environmental cleanliness recorded in the area.
“From our observations, the environment is generally clean, and this local government appears to be taking the sanitation exercise seriously. We visited several areas and found that residents had cleaned their surroundings,” he said.
The commissioner noted that although many residents were not physically present during the exercise, evidence showed that they had cleaned their surroundings and ensured that waste was evacuated through designated contractors.
He commended the Chairman of Alimosho Local Government and his team for sustaining the initiative and urged them to intensify engagement with residents to maintain the momentum.
Wahab also reiterated the state government’s commitment to the reintroduced monthly environmental sanitation exercise, stressing that public holidays and festive celebrations would not affect its implementation.
Speaking on enforcement during the sanitation exercise, Wahab said only a few commercial vehicles were observed on the roads during the restricted period, adding that the relevant authorities had been informed of the observations.
He added that the government would continue public sensitisation efforts aimed at restoring the culture of environmental cleanliness among residents.
Addressing concerns over flash flooding in parts of Alimosho, particularly around Akowonjo and adjoining communities, Wahab said proper waste disposal and regular cleaning of drainage channels remained critical to flood prevention.
He explained that government officials would revisit vulnerable locations in the area to assess drainage discharge points and determine whether further intervention was required.
Also speaking, the Chairman of Alimosho Local Government, Johnson Akinpelu, said the council would continue to sensitise residents to the importance of the regular exercise.
According to him, the local government had deployed additional resources to complement the activities of Private Sector Participation operators and ensure regular waste evacuation across communities.
Akinpelu urged residents to promptly pay their waste collection fees, adding that timely payment was necessary to enable operators to meet operational costs and sustain efficient service delivery.
The monthly sanitation exercise is the second edition since the Lagos State Government announced its return.
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